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The Reassurance of Truth

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In today’s Gospel reading, we hear the story of Saint Thomas, Thomas the doubter, and we are blessed for believing without seeing. We are blessed for our faith. 

I read that last line, “Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed,” and felt guilty at first (John 20:29). I’ll be the first to admit that I have times of doubt. Sometimes I doubt that God can grant me the courage I need to get me through the 24 hours. Sometimes I doubt that goodness exists in people and that they are all children of my same God. Sometimes I doubt that there is peace that my Heavenly Father is offering. Sometimes, I even have flickers of doubt in the existence of God at all. 

Then Jesus tells me, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe” (John 20:27). 

Not in quite as many words, of course, but he does present a moment of reassurance in the truth. 

He sends someone to say, “Hey, we’ve got this. Just one more day,” seemingly out of the blue to you.  He has a stranger at the grocery store pay for your ice cream when you’ve had a terrible day and just need comfort food, only to find out you forgot your wallet at home.  He has the clouds provide shelter from the hot sun and the breeze pick up right when you tell yourself it’s too hot.

He provides a moment of quiet and clarity in the middle of a busy day.  He reminds you that you are loved through friends, family, and even strangers in your life.

You see, Jesus did not condemn Thomas for doubting. He did not call him a fool. He did not tell him to leave. He did not tell him that the Kingdom of God was not right for him. Jesus took his doubt and gave him truth. He gave Thomas reason to believe. 

There are times in our lives when we doubt, but we must know that the truth is being given to us through all the beauty and goodness in the world. First, though, we must seek the truth. We must remind ourselves that our God is providing us with His love and reassurance through the little moments of joy, of peace, of camaraderie, of silence. 

Look for His reassurance.

Together, we pray:
My Lord and my God,
In the moments when the darkness and sadness seem to cover us
Reassure us of your light and your love.
In the moments when we feel surrounded by loneliness,
Reassure us that you are at our side, always.
In the moments that seem too difficult to overcome,
Reassure us of the strength and resilience that resides in us through you.
In the moments of uncertainty and doubt,
Reassure us of your truth through all that is good.
Son of God, we ask that you take our doubts and insecurities,
and transform them into faith in Your truth as you once did with Saint Thomas.

Amen.

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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Spiritual Coffee

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This morning, as I stood in my lava water shower, I found myself thinking about how tired I was of being home. As an introvert, recharging at home is my jam. I enjoy being home and I enjoy being alone a good part of my day. Still, it’s been 93 days since I started social distancing and working from home (not that I’m counting…) and I am finally really missing people. 

Last weekend, I went out to lunch with a friend, and as we began wiping down our patio chairs and tables with the Clorox wipes we had brought with us, I struggled not to say hello with a hug. Then, as we repeated the same process before leaving, we both went in for a hug and stopped ourselves. Although we knew it was the smart and safe thing to do, we both felt a slight sadness. 

This kind of shocked me because that first experience of going out into the world and participating in what used to be totally normally dining was exactly what I used to shy away from. Now, I was craving it and embracing it — from 6 feet apart, of course. As much as COVID has taken away from me, it’s also given me a new appreciation and yearning for friendship and exploring the world outside my four walls. 

I think our spiritual life needs this kind of reminder and re-awakening too. When we fall into comfortable routines and begin to take our relationship with God for granted, we need a spiritual coffee to wake us up. That’s why when my friend reached out to me and asked if I wanted to do an 11-week Catholic book group with her, I said yes before even asking about the book’s title. Within a couple of hours, I had purchased the Walking with Purpose book and paid for rapid shipping. 

It’s these kinds of opportunities that we should jump at, especially in these times of social distancing. It’s the perfect way to ease yourself back into your community of faith as churches begin to reopen. The best part is that there are so many self-guided or templated ways to have a Catholic book study/group, so you won’t have to wait for your parish to get it started. Then, once you’re comfortable with book studies/groups, try hosting an open one with your parish. 

Like so many others that get tired in their faith, we just drink the spiritual coffee (not the Kool-Aid) and reinvigorate ourselves with the excitement of faith through friendship and connection. 

Not sure how to start? 

Not sure what to read?

Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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Alleluia, Alleluia

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Alleluia, alleluia.
I call you my friends, says the Lord,
for I have made known to you all that the Father has told me.
Alleluia, alleluia.

Today’s alleluia really snapped me back into the reality of my faith and that reality is that I am not as alone as I feel.

This past week was extremely difficult for me. I’ve found myself more immersed in my faith while being in quarantine, which is wonderful, but I have also found my faith being tested. What was a welcome relationship some weeks ago is once again strained. I’ve had my insecurities pulled to the surface by well-intentioned hearts, my own words twisted to fit another person’s narrative, and those issues I thought I had laid to rest? Well, they’re pesky little things, let me tell ya!

Throughout all of this, I began to feel as though the distance of my good friends and the proximity of my family has made me feel a little… cagey? So today, as I read the Alleluia, I was reminded that the friend I should hold most dear, is always here with me. 

“It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you.” 

John 15:16 reminds me that I have always been chosen, especially in the weakest of moments of my faith. I do not need to have the strength, as long as I trust in God’s strength. It reminded me that I have always been loved by my Lord, even when I find it difficult to love myself. I have always had a friend, even when I feel so very alone in my thoughts. My God understands that I am not perfect, regardless of being created in His perfect image. He does not demand perfection, but, above all, faith. My Father knows my struggles and my doubts and still, He calls me His chosen child. 

During this time of social distancing and quarantining, difficult relationships, and feelings of defeat, it is important to keep all of these things in mind. While our God demands a lot of us, He is also a loving God that wants us to come to him. 

Take a moment today to realign yourself with His endless love for you. 

Let us pray:

God of Goodness,
I come into your presence so aware of my human frailty and yet overwhelmed by your love for me.
I thank you that there is no human experience that I might walk through where your love cannot reach me.
If I climb the highest mountain you are there and yet if I find myself in the darkest valley of my life, you are there.
Teach me today to love you more.
Help me to rest in that love that asks nothing more than the simple trusting heart of a child.
Amen.
– Author Unknown

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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The Most

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Does anyone else feel as though these quarantine days are flying by? In the moment, each day feels so long, but when I look back at the last week, three weeks, seven weeks I’ve been in quarantine, it feels like time has flown by. Today, I find myself in the third week of Easter even though I feel that Easter was only last week! 

Looking back at time, we are all forced to face the fact that while the past defines who we are, it is the present that shapes who we will become. 

During Lent, I made a point to go to Mass each Sunday and take notes in my homily journal. I easily could have stopped once the pandemic and quarantine hit. There are a million excuses I could make of why my Lent just didn’t pan out. Even when my sister invited me to the last public Mass in our county, I considered not going. Then, I thought, Where is this coming from? Get away, Satan, before telling my sister I’d be joining her. 

This moment, like many others, has become a part of my past, but, at the time, it was my present. A choice made in a split second. A chosen path towards God. 

Each of our moments build upon one another. Evil choices make choosing evil easier the next time around. The same can be said for choosing morals, love, and good. 

Today, as we continue to celebrate the resurrection and true life of our Savior, I ask you to consider your choices and how they affect not just your present or your past, but how they define your future. I ask you to make the most of the present. 

Together, we pray:

Dear Heavenly Father,
As you watch over us and see our stumbles,
give us the humility to ask for your helping hand.
Guide us on the path you have so lovingly provided.
Strengthen our hearts against Satan,
that we may choose to show the love
and mercy you shower upon us,
every moment of every day.
Amen.

Contact the author

Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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Risen

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Tomorrow marks a week since we mourned in memory of the death of Christ, our most holy sacrifice. Three days later, on Easter, we celebrated His resurrection, our savior rising from the dead!

Last year, I talked about how my friend never knew that Easter was celebrating Jesus’ resurrection. He thought it was a celebration of his life since he had died and gone to heaven, as if it were a wake. If you remember, I actually had the joy of telling him that Jesus rose from the dead and seeing his shock, disbelief, and amazement.

This year, I watched the movie Risen with my family. The movie (watch trailer or here) is the death and resurrection from a Roman soldier’s point of view. This premise reminded me a lot of my friend and what he must have felt when I told him.

I realized while watching the movie that his resurrection was the most radical and amazing thing to occur. Yes, Jesus died, as man does, but He then rose from the dead. He did not return as a zombie, but fully alive! He appeared in and disappeared from locked rooms. He continued performing miracles. 

In the film, several of Jesus’ followers are interviewed and instead of saying things like, “of course, he rose from the dead. He said he would,” we see how joyous, calm, and faithful they are, even while being questioned. They smile and, filled with faith, they say that Jesus is everywhere and that their only weapon is love. 

Y’all. Jesus rose from the dead! 

He is our joy!
He is our peace!
He is our hope! 

Yet while we sit at home, where is our joy? Where is our peace? Where is our hope? Where is our faith?

I ask this of you because I ask it of myself. 

Being back at my parent’s house came with hardships that I had forgotten about. It came with having to be patient with my loved ones. It came with the loneliness of being separated from my friends and the place I’ve come to call home. It came with having to forgive things that I have held on to, so tightly, for so long. It came with testing my spirit of service. It came with humility.

It also came with the bright Texas sunrises, the joy of family, the mix of music, laughter, and birds in the air, as well as the abundance of good food and good times.

There is a silver lining in the midst of these troubling times. There are praises to be sung for life, love, and family. Even in moments like these, we can still have our joy. We can be at peace. We can have hope. We can have all of this because of our Lord that has risen from the grave for each and every one of us. 

If you have the opportunity, watch the movie Risen. Take the time to really reflect on the miracle that our religion is based upon. Re-find your faith. 

Watch Risen on Vudu 
Watch Risen on Amazon
Watch Risen on YouTube 
Watch Risen on Google Play
Watch Risen on iTunes

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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And We Continue

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In today’s Gospel reading, the Pharisees determine that they will kill Jesus. Jesus no longer traveled with big crowds surrounding him. He no longer visited the big cities to preach. Reading only today’s Gospel makes it seem as though Jesus secluded himself and hid in fear of being captured and killed. If we continue reading in John’s Gospel and the others, we know that Jesus does not stop sharing the word with His people. He just has to be careful and creative.

The same concept applies to where we stand now, amid all the fear and possibility of disease. Yes, we must limit our contact with others. Yes, we must no longer visit with our friends and family. Still, that does not mean that we seclude our faith. It does not mean we stop living by the Word of God. It does not mean we stop living as Christians. We just have to be more careful and creative.

Maybe you know how to be careful but aren’t sure how to be creative with your faith. Below are some ideas of how you can continue living (and growing in) your faith:

  • Tune In For Daily & Sunday Mass Online
  • You can watch with Pope Francis (view), Our Lady of Mercy in Aurora, IL (view), or check your local parishes’ websites to see when they are celebrating their Masses online.
  • Pray Together, Online
  • Pray a Rosary, Novena, or the Divine Office with your friends over the phone or in a video call. The Dominican Sisters of Mary Mother of the Eucharist (view) record daily Mass, the Divine Office, and the Rosary.
  • Pray At Home
  • Set up your own prayer altar at home. Not sure where or how to start? This link and this link, as well as YouTube (view playlist), have many Catholic ideas and tutorials to DIY your own sacred space not only for you, but for your family or roommates as well.
  • Read or Listen to a Book
  • While you probably have a bible in your house, you also have many online resources to read daily reflections, eBooks (view), and other free, community resources without having to have anything physically delivered to your house. Also, I know that I am having to re-learn the patience to read. Traditional Catholic (view) offers a list of books to read via PDF, Kindle, ePub, online, or even the audiobook version.
  • Stop. Look. Listen. Appreciate. 
  • As easy as it may be, take the time to count your blessings and enjoy the simple yet beautiful wonders that God has given you. The breeze, the sunlight, the plants that continue to grow, the beauty in a sunrise or sunset. Take this time to see your world with child-like wonder.
  • Faith with Family
  • With schools closing, a lot of parents find themselves spending more time with the children (view) and young adults (view) than they’ve ever had to do before. Other than telling your children to clean the house, now is the time to learn more about them and guide them in their walk with Christ.

Need more ideas or want to prepare for Palm Sunday and Holy Week? Click here for a folder of resources and ideas that my friend Lexxus and the Diocese of Austin, TX, shared and here for some ideas from the Catholic All Year blog.

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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Peace in the Storm

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The last ten days have been a quick succession of life-changing decisions made for me. State of emergency declaration. No gatherings of 250 people or more. Dine-in restaurants and bars closing. No gatherings of 50 people or more. Work from home. No gatherings of 10 people or more. Just stay home.*

Even just typing that feels so heavy and restricting. It feels like the world is closing in around me. My walls of safety seem to be crumbling before my eyes. As someone joked, “This week has been the longest and most difficult year of my life.”

It’s almost crazy to think that it was only Monday when I first felt the panic and chaos well up inside of me. Evil, in the form of fear, loneliness, panic, and loss of hope, filled my thoughts. 

To combat this, a small group of us got together after work and prayed the Rosary. Prayed for healing, for illnesses, for those alone in this time, for each other, for the ability to feel God’s presence at a time like this. 

It was then that amid all the chaos, I felt at peace.

During Lent, we are called. Yes, called to pray, to fast, to give alms, but also just called. Our God seeks a relationship with us. He calls our name in times like these. In times of darkness, He calls out with His light. In times of fear, He calls out to us with hope. In times of uncertainty, He calls out our names and promises us, 100% guarantees us, His love no matter the situation. 

These are the times to listen for His voice. A little further from the distractions of the world, I ask you to listen. I ask you to acknowledge your fears, doubts, vulnerabilities, and trust in your God. 

Last, I ask that you pray with me, either once or as a Novena:

O Great St. Rocco, deliver us, we beseech thee, from the scourges of God; through thy intercession, preserve our bodies from contagious diseases, and our souls from the contagion of sin. Obtain for us salubrious air; but, above all, purity of heart. Assist us to make good use of health, to bear suffering with patience; and, after thy example, to live in the practice of penance and charity, that we may one day enjoy the happiness which thou has merited by thy virtues.

St. Rocco, pray for us (say three times).

*These items are taken from press releases issued on the State of Michigan’s website and the Center for Disease Control’s website. Please refer to your own state’s website or CDC for your state’s information.

https://www.michigan.gov/coronavirus/ (Citation for Michigan’s State of Emergency declaration, no gatherings of 250 people or more, dine-in restaurants and bars closing.)

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/ (Citation for no gatherings of 50 people or more and no gatherings of 10 people or more.)

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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Role Models

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Not to put myself down, but I am not as fit as I once was. I participated in competitive running from 4th – 12th grade and lots of running afterward. At 25, even my elbow pops when I wake up. (That’s normal, right?) A broken ankle two summers ago, coupled with a hernia, hip misalignment, and minor ACL tear within the last year, all mean that I haven’t done too much physical activity for the last two years. This year, I’m trying to take small steps towards getting back into fitness and building strength, all while trying to incorporate a faith aspect.  

For example, my friend and I did SoulCore earlier this week. 

If you’re like me a week ago and have never heard of SoulCore, it’s a prayerful workout in which you pray the rosary while going through various stretching and strengthening moves. This way, not only are you working to focus yourself physically and mentally but also to focus yourself spiritually, as well. 

My friend and I had borrowed the DVD that goes through the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary, but to be honest, we couldn’t make it through the third decade. At one point, I remember jokingly saying out loud, “I am weak, but my God is strong,” as my arms trembled during the Our Father pushups. My friend exhaled a quick, “Amen,” to let me know that I wasn’t the only one struggling. 

Today’s first reading forced me to face the fact that what I said as a joke should really be taken seriously. It reminds us to hope in the Lord and not to seek strength in flesh. 

Most often, I find myself wanting to be like other people. I want to be fit like Andrea La Thoma. I want the modern faith life of my coworker. I want the business acumen of my mother. I want the trust in God that Saint Monica had. It is rare that I find myself saying that I want to be more like Jesus. 

If you’re like me, maybe don’t give our savior so little credit. He wasn’t a king born with privilege and opportunities at his feet, he was born in a stable and placed in a feeding trough with a carpenter and young mother as his parents. He was human. He had human emotions and struggles. His faith, his self-control, his compassion, his big-picture view of the world, are all examples for me to follow. Moreover, he placed his faith in God, Our Father, above all else.

Who is your role model? Where is your hope in the Lord?

Learn more about SoulCore here.

Read more about how Jesus is our role model here. 

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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The Short List

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This past weekend, we listened to the Sunday Gospel in which Jesus is amazed by the soldier’s faith in him. We receive the line that we hear in Mass each week as the centurion says, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed.” 

I go back to this gospel because, in today’s readings, we are reminded of three things:

  1. Trust in our Lord
  2. Give thanks to the Lord
  3. Faithful action leads us to the Lord

This short list is what we need to do in our daily lives to get to heaven and when I list it out, it looks so simple! In practice, we know it’s a bit more difficult. Here are some things you can start doing to prepare for the coming of Christ on Christmas day.

Trust
Trusting in the Lord means relinquishing control and allowing ourselves to feel the peace of God’s will. Allow yourself to understand that your plan may not always be God’s plan for you. Take the time to write down the times your plan has gone wrong only for it to all work out better than you had hoped. When things aren’t going your way, pray, “Not my will, but yours be done.”

Giving Thanks
With Thanksgiving weekend just barely behind us, it is the perfect time to continue giving thanks to the Lord besides when you go to Mass on Sundays and before meals. Open your eyes to the wonders of God in your life. Say prayers of thanksgiving when you wake up and before you go to bed. Thank God for not only the good in your daily life but also for the struggles that make you stronger and guide you along His path for you.

Faithful Action
This can be the most difficult for people to do. What is faithful action? To me, it’s taking the time to be present with your faith and the people you should be sharing it with. Ask your friends if they want to attend Mass with you and then go out to eat and discuss the readings. Say Merry Christmas instead of Happy Holidays. Find ways to serve your community through soup kitchens, your local St. Vincent de Paul Society, or consider making your own Boxes of Love for the homeless. 

Through each of these ideas, you will be preparing your heart not only for the coming of Jesus at Christmas but for the kingdom of heaven.

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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Distance

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I have heard today’s Gospel reading many times, as I’m sure you have as well. We hear of Zacchaeus, a well-known tax collector that took more than his share from the people. Still, Jesus tells him to come down from the tree and states that Jesus will be staying at his house. Everyone else is appalled. How could Jesus associate himself with a tax collector of all people! Doesn’t he know?!

Well… Here’s the thing; Jesus was insanely radical.

Today, many of us are blessed to know Jesus’ name. Many people associate Jesus with traditionalism and being conservative. At the time, Jesus was this amazing man with super crazy ideas. He rebuked the church officials. He publically spoke against laws. He touched the lepers. He chose to stay with well-known sinners. Jesus encouraged the inspection of traditions and the introspection of one’s own self.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus does this again in a way that we think we are familiar with because we have heard the story. In our own lives, it is alien and almost taboo to us. This is because we often like to distance ourselves from the people we see as “bad” or the “other” when, in reality, there is not much difference between any of us. That is not to say that there are not any differences, but there are often more similarities than differences. 

Still, we tell ourselves that if someone has a vastly different lifestyle that we cannot associate ourselves with them. I often hear the term, “guilty by association,” but no one ever talks about the joy and love of God rubbing off on other people. 

I know that in my life, my faith and trust in God has changed the hearts of others. I have dated people that knew nothing of Catholicism, and through (a lot of) patience and non-judgemental conversation, they now know and understand their own faith that much more. I have had friends that I drag with me to Mass and then had them tell me, “I didn’t know that’s what you believe.” I have had family members that have stopped practicing their faith, hear me talk about how much I love being Catholic, and having that Catholic community, then text me that they started going back to Mass. 

My favorite instances are when I am at a smoky bar or a rock concert, a drink in hand, and begin talking about my faith with the people around me. It normally begins with people asking where I work, and then I usually get the once-difficult question of, “How can you work for a Catholic company after everything with the priests?” I explain that priests are flawed people too, that Judas was Catholic, that this is all coming to light because we are honoring the truth, that God/Jesus/Holy Spirit and his followers are two separate things. 

Then I listen to what they have to say.

It is through patient conversations, not arguments that I see the tiny spark of a conversion of heart. This does not happen from a distance. It happens with friends, family, and strangers that we come in contact with every day. As we approach the holiday season, we must welcome the sinner and be a witness to our faith and our God just as Jesus did, regardless of how different we think they are. 

Not sure how to start the conversation? Below are some resources:

Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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Gifts From God

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Initially, this blog post was about a totally different topic, but as I was searching for my blog post image, I began to think more and more about what I had already written. The image I came across, the image you now see at the top of this post, really spoke to me. With the first reading in mind, it made me think of the gifts that I have received from God and how I have responded to them. Moreover, why don’t I have the same look of excitement, joy, and amazement when looking at my gifts from God? Have I ever looked at my gifts that way?

Unfortunately, my answer is no. 

I hate to admit it, but I have always seen my gifts as something to be shrugged off or a burden. 

My laziness and ungratefulness in using the gifts God has given me remind me of what my coworker once said. “When you work for a painting company and are good at painting, it just means that everyone asks you to help them paint every room in the house.” So, at some point, you stop talking about the fact that you worked for a painting company. You don’t mention that you’re good at painting and have helped others with it. You tell yourself that if someone asks, you guess you can help, but only if they ask first. 

In today’s first reading, Paul, the Apostle, shares his gifts with the Gentiles, spreading the Word of God further than his comfort zone. It’s easy to share our gifts when we want to, on our terms. It requires a lot more faith and trust in the Lord to do things on His terms, to go where He wants us to go. 

Still, the more I look back on my life, the more I am overwhelmed by all of the goodness that God has placed in my life. All of the times I used my gifts for the good of God’s people, not because it’s easy or comfortable for me, I have been rewarded tenfold. The struggles work out. The fear is replaced by peace. Somehow (aka through God’s plan), it all works out. 

I often think back to the powerful words of Pope Francis that I was so fortunate to witness:

“My friends, Jesus is the Lord of risk, of the eternal ‘more.’ Jesus is not the Lord of comfort, security, and ease. Following Jesus demands a good dose of courage, a readiness to trade in the sofa for a pair of walking shoes, and to set out on new and uncharted paths. To blaze trails that open up new horizons capable of spreading joy, the joy that is born of God’s love and wells up in your hearts with every act of mercy. To take the path of the ‘craziness’ of our God, who teaches us to encounter him in the hungry, the thirsty, the naked, the sick, the friend in trouble, the prisoner, the refugee and the migrant, and our neighbours who feel abandoned. To take the path of our God, who encourages us to be politicians, thinkers, social activists. The God who asks us to devise an economy inspired by solidarity. In all the settings in which you find yourselves, God’s love invites you bring the Good News, making of your own lives a gift to him and to others.” (2016 World Youth Day Prayer Vigil).

Today, I embrace my gifts, as uncomfortable as I may be at first. I want to use my gifts in a way that gives glory to God. I want Jesus, the Lord of risk, to smile down on me as I take each new leap of faith. I want to be confident in the gifts that He has given me and allow myself to be taken out of my comfort zone. The gifts that I have been given are meant to be shared. I want my life to be a gift, spreading excitement, joy, and amazement of God. 

Don’t know what your gifts are? Unsure of what ministry you would flourish in? Take the test!

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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It Depends on Faith

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In today’s first reading, we read that God’s chosen people, Abraham’s descendants, were not going to be saved because they followed the law, but because they had faith. Reading this, I was reminded of a conversation that my family once had at the table one Sunday. 

To give a bit of background, my Sundays growing up were for family. We would attend Mass together, socialize with our parish family, gather in the kitchen as my dad cooked breakfast, then eat as a family. After breakfast, we would stay at the table, talking for an hour or more. During these post-breakfast discussions, we normally discussed that morning’s homily and the readings. Even now, I’m nostalgic!  

One Sunday, we got on the topic of being a good person versus being a good Christian/Catholic. I remember how funny it was because although we were all on the same side, it became a heated debate. We all (loudly) agreed on the fact that being a “good person” is all fine and dandy, but without the love of God and trust in God behind the action, you are not earning your place in heaven. 

Our faith is what separates us from other religions. Our faith is what gives us passage to life eternal. Following rules for the sake of following rules, even the commandments, is only the surface level of the faith that we are taught. We are meant to believe, to have faith, and to live out Christ’s mission of truth and love for all creation.

In today’s Gospel, we are reminded again of the strength that faith has as Jesus tells us: 

“When they take you before synagogues and before rulers and authorities, do not worry about how or what your defense will be or about what you are to say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you should say.” (Luke 12:11-12)

This passage reminds us that through faith, we are given all the tools we need to not only make it through our days here on earth, but the tools needed to guide us to Heaven. 

If our salvation and redemption rely on faith, are you confident in your trust in the Lord? Does your faithfully rely on God, or are you still fighting for control? 

How much faith do you put in your faith? 

Click here to read some helpful tips on “Trusting God Through the Storm”.

Contact the author

Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.